Air-brake-operating valve.



PATENTED DEG. 13, 1904.

No. 777,340. A

Al GOTTSCHALK.

A1B. BRAKE OPERATING VALVE.

.APPLGATION FILED 1111111.24, 1904.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1,

N0 MODEL.

No. 777,840. PATENTED DEG. 13,1904. A. GOTTSCHALK. AIR BRAKE OPERATING VALVE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 24, 1904. N0 MODEL asuma-SHEET 2,

UNITED STATES Patented December 13, 1904.

ALBERT G-OTTSOHALK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIR-BRAKE-OFERATING VALVE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,340, dated December 13, 1904. Application iiled March 24,1904. Serial No. 199.679. (No model.)

To tI/Z wiz/0m it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ALBEnrGo'rtrsci-IALK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brake-Operating Valves, of which the following' is aspeci fication.

The presentinvention relates to certain improvements in air-brake-operating valves, the more importantconsiderations connected with the invention being' the avoidance of the neeessity for manually effecting the return of the valve from its full-release to the ruiming position or the compression by hand of a spring' when the brake -operating valve is turned to and held in the full-release position.

With the above and other objects in view my improvements broadly comprehend means for automatically returning at the proper' time the brake-operating valve from its fullrelease to its running position, thus insuring a sufficiently quick recharge of the train-line pressure to release the brakes and without the liability of incurring an overcharge witlr in the train-line.

By the automatic return of the brake-operating valve, as above referred to, liability of the iiattening of the wheels will be greatly reduced, the necessary attention on the part of the operator minimized, and necessity for employing a warning-port obviated, said warning-port being a source of loss of air, the noise due to the escape of which is also an annoyance to the operator. The dispensing' of said warning-port is further of considerable importance, inasmuch as the contemplated beneiits of said ports are frequently not realized through their' becomingelogged with dirt and scale from the inside of the pipes.

One development of my invention is that illustrated in the accompanying drawings, :in Whichw Figure 1 is a plan view of an air-brake-operating valve equipped with my improvements, the hooked piston-rod of the piston within the supplementary cylinder being' shown by full lines in its normal position, and the handle operating the brake-valve being correspondingly represented as in the running position, both said hooked piston-rod and the valve-handle beingl illustrated by dotted lines in the position they occupy respectively when the valve is in' the full-release position. Fig. 2 is an elevational View of the parts shown in the preceding ligure looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1. Fig. Sis an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the supply-valve and its immediately-related features, the end cap of the suliiplementary cylinder being removed and said cylinder, together with its eoacting` parts, beingillustratedin the position they occupy with respect to said supply-valve. Fig. 4L is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of the supplementary cylinder, disclosing its piston, hooked piston-rod, and one arrangement of reaction-spring for coperation with the piston, this view also indicating one manner of embodying the supplementary cylinder and its parts in connection with a brake-operating valve. Fig. 5 is an end view illustratingmore particularly the peculiar configuration of the head on the end of the valvecarrying extension of the supply-valve piston. Fig. 6 discloses one modiiication of the means for controlling communication through the by-pass leading from the supply-valve chamber to the supplementary cylinder. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating a modilied arrangement of the by-pass and a manner of controlling the same by the supply-valve direct, this form also making provision for exhausting the air from the supplementary cylinder' by way of said supply-valve and through a port in the casing of the latter and communicating` with the atmosphere. Fig. 8 is an inverted detail View of the supply-valve illustrated in Fig. 7.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts in the several ligures where they occur.

The enginee1"s valve or, as it will preferably be referred to herein, the air-brakeoperating valve,7 is generally indicated by the character A and may be of any suitable or approved construction capable of conditions wherein it can assume either a running or a full-release position. As the general arrangement and functions of these valves are familiar to those skilled in this art, detailed descrip- IOO ` side of said head. Therefore air under main- `air behind the same has been suitably extion of the construction of the operating-valve proper is not deemed necessary in the present instance.

The supply-valve piston B, having the extension b2, carrying the supply-valve B2, and also provided with the end guiding-head B, is associated with the supply-valve-piston spring B, all of which parts are contained within the casing Ba, ported for communication under proper conditions with the brakeoperating valve A and with the train-line pipe. As further details, as well as the general functions and operations of these parts, are characteristic of the modern vWestinghouse system, it will suiifice for the purposes or' the present invention to state that the peculiar peripheral configuration ot' the head Bb (see Fig. 5) is such that there is a constant communication between the space in which the supplyvalve B2 operates and the space at the other reservoir pressure entering said supply-valve space will be admitted to the opposite side of the guiding-head.

Under certain conditions the supply-valvepiston spring BC will so act on said piston B and parts carried thereby that the head Bb will bear against and hold a small puppetvalve to its seat, thus cutting ot'f communication between the adjacent end ot' the interior oi' the supply-valve casing and a conduit c in the form of a by-pass, leading to one end of a supplementary cylinder C, which, together with other parts to be presently described, involve important features of my invention.

The stem ZJ of the puppet-valve Z2 is in such relation with regard to a small spring-follower 52 that when the head Bb recedes from said puppet-valve, which occurs during the recharge of the train-line, communication is immediately established and maintained Jfor a corresponding period between the main-reservoir uuid-pressure and the rear end of the supplementary cylinder C by way of the bypass c. The stem has longitudinally-disposed depressions which permit the passage of the air when the valve b is unseated.

Vithin the cylinder C is a cup-shaped leather piston C', to which is connected the rear end of a piston-rod c', having its forward external portion bent to present an overturned hook c2, which latter when the piston is at the limit ot' its forward movement overlaps or overhangs the front end of the cylinder C. Both the piston and its rod are normally maintained in the position just mentioned through the medium of acoiled expanding spring C2, which when the piston moves forward under the power exerted by the air behind the piston becomes compressed for reaction to restore said piston to its normal position when the hausted. The piston carries a sleeve c3, the forward end oi' which is adapted to contact with the front head of the cylinder and act as l a stop for defining the proper limit of the projected movement of the hooked end c2. Said hooked end is maintained in its proper operated position by reason of the rod c being square in cross-section and the opening in the cylinder-head through which it plays being of corresponding shape.

When the brake-operating valve is in the running position, the handle A ot' said valve occupies the relation with regard to the cylinder C, indicated in Figs. land 4, wherein it is shown as disposed at an angle with respect to and slightly above said cylinder, said handlel intersecting a horizontal plane common to that of the extremity of the hooked end c2 ot' the piston-rod. With the handle at the running position the limit of the inward movement of the piston C will be such that the extremity of the hooked end will be maintained in contact with the handle A in front of the latter or at that side thereof in the direction in which said handle is to be moved to throw the brake-operating valve to theiullrelease position.

At the period of the movement of the handle A to the full-release position the puppetvalve is unseated, thus establishing commucation through the by-pass c between the mainreservoir pressure and the supplementary cylinder C behind the piston therein. This actuates said piston in a forward direction, resulting in the projection oi' the piston-rod, and the movement of the hooked end c2 in advance of and out of contact with the handle A. Manifestly said handle is moved to the full-release position without encountering any obstruction or,`in fact, any resistance other than that which said handle would ordinarily sustain. When the handle A' has reached the full-release position, which is accomplished in a very brief period of time, the hooked end c2 will have reached the limit of its projected position, resulting in its still being slightly out ot' Contact with and in front of the handle. The duration ofthe period in which the hooked end c2 will be permitted to remain in its full projected position will be dependent upon the condition of the air-pressure within the trainline pipe. Should such pressure be below that predetermined upon, the supply-piston and its head will be held in such open position that the puppet-valve will continue unseated until the train-line pressure attains the required degree, whereupon the supply-valve piston will be actuated to cause its guidinghead to close the puppet-valve and cut olif the supply of main-reservoir air through the bypass. The air in the cylinder then escapes through a suitable exhaust-vent or exhaustport, the spring C2 reacting to eiiect the return of the piston to its normal position. By reason of this operation the hooked end c2 is retracted to engage the handleA and automatically restore the latter to its running position.

A simple manner of venting or exhausting .LOU

IIO

the air from behind the piston C' is by means of an open discharge-port c4, immediately leading from the by-pass c to the atmosphere, as indicated in Fig'. 3.

While l have shown the cylinder C and its ported support (13 as being an independent part appropriately interposed between the casing proper of the valve and that of the casing of the supply-valve B2, it will be manifest that such cylinder and requisite ports may be an integral part of the construction. It will also be obvious that the arrangement for controlling' the by-pass c can be widely varied. For instance, such by-pass can be so located as to be opened and closed by a valve bx, carried by the head B. Fig. 6 discloses such arrangement. Another arrangement in this connection is that illustrated in Fig. 7, wherein the bypass cx opens directly through the bottom of the chamber in which the supplyvalve Cx plays, so that the opposite movements of the latter, governed by its spring and piston C, respectively, will effect the proper interruption and establishment of communication of said by-pass with air supplied from the main reservoir by way of a port cy (dotted lines) in the supply-valve or with the atmosphere for exhausting by way of a transversely-extended depression c, also in the bottom of said supply-valve. Furthermore, the reaction-spring C2 need not necessarily be inclosed within the cylinder C, but can be juxtaposed and connected so as to be energized through the forward movement of the piston U. I therefore do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but reserve the right to all modifications and changes within the scope of my invention.

Having now described my invention, what lf claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In means for controlling air-brale-operating' valves, the improvement comprising a fluid-pressureactuated element, a reaction device, provision operable from said element and adapted for operative relation with regard to said reaction device, a by-pass and its con trolling means for subjecting said element to the pressure of air supplied from main reservoir to actuate said element in one direction, and a suitable exhaust for relieving' said element of the aforesaid air-pressure, said reaction device capable of being energ'ized by the aforesaid actuation of said element for effecting the automatic return of the brakeoperating valve from a full-release to a running position.

2. In means for controlling air-brale-operating valves, the improvement comprising a fluidpressure actuated element, provision operable from said element and adapted for operative relation with respect to` a brakeoperating valve, a by-pass and its controlling means for subjecting' said element to the pressure of air supplied from the main reservoir to actuate said element in one direction, a suitsure of air supplied from the main reservoir' to actuate said element in one direction, a suitable exhaust for relieving' said element of the aforesaid air-pressure, and a spring capable of being energized by such actuation of said element for effecting' the automatic return of the brake-operating valve from a full-release to a running position.

4. In means for controlling' air-bral\eoperating' Valves, the improvement comprising' a iluid-pressure-actuated element, provision operable from said element and adapted for operative relation with respect to a brake-operating' valve, a by-pass and its controlling' means for subjecting' said element to the pressure of air supplied from the main reservoir to actuate said element in one direction, a suitable exhaust for relieving' said element of the aforesaid pressure, and a reaction device capable of being energized by such actuation of said ele ment for moving the latter in the opposite direction, the parts being' so organized that said opposite movement of the element will result in the aforementioned provision coacting to efleet the automatic return of the brake-operating' valve from a full-release to a running position.

5. In means for controlling' air-brakeopeu ating valves, the improvement comprising a Huid-pressure-actuated element, provision operable from said element and adapted for operative relation with respect to a brake-open ating valve, a bypass and its controlling' means for subjecting' said element to the pressure of air supplied from the main reservoir to actuate said element in one direction, a suitable exhaust for relieving' said element of the aforesaid pressure, and a spring' capable of being' energized by such actuation of said element for moving' the latter in the opposite direction, the parts being so organized that said opposite movement of the element will result in the aforementioned provision eoaeting' to effect the automatic return of the brake-operating' valve from a full-release to a running' position.

6. In means for controlling air-brakeoper ating valves, the improvement comprising a fluid-pressare-actuated element, provision operable from said element and designed for correlation with a brake-operating valve, a bypass and its controlling means for subjecting said element to the pressure of air supplied from the main reservoir to actuate said element in one direction, a suitable exhaust 'for relieving said element of the aforesaid airpressure, and a reaction device Jfor moving said element in the opposite direction, the parts being so organized that the movement of said element induced by the reaction device will effect through the aforementioned provision, the automatic return oi' the brake-valve to a running position. f

7. In means for automatically controlling air-brake-operating valves, the improvement comprising a cylinder and piston, provision designed for correlation with the valve-handle and operable from the piston, a by-pass and its controlling means for delivering to the cylinder air supplied from the main reservoir to actuate the piston in one direction, a suitable exhaust for relieving said piston of the aforesaid pressure, and a spring for moving the piston in the opposite direction, one of said piston movements causing the piston-operable provision to move in advance of the valvehandle, and the other piston movement operating said provision to effect the automatic return of the valve-handle to the running position.

8. In means for automatically controlling air-brake-operating valves, the improvement comprising a cylinder and piston, provision designed Jfor correlation with the valve-handle and operable from the piston, a by-pass and its controlling means for delivering to the cylinder air supplied from the main reservoir to actuate the piston in one direction, a spring' adapted to be compressed by such piston actuation, a suitable exhaust for relieving said piston of the aforesaid air-pressure, the compression actuation of the piston occurring during the manual shifting of the valve-handle from the running to the full-release position to cause the piston-operated provision to move in advance of the valve-handle, and said compression-spring adapted to react and oppositely move the piston for causing said provision to effect the automatic return of the valve-handle.

9. In means for automatically controlling air-brake-operating valves, the improvement consisting or' a cylinder and piston, provision designed for correlation with the valve-handle and operable from the piston, a by-pass and its controlling means for delivering to the space at one side of the piston air supplied from the main reservoir to actuate the piston in one direction, a suitable exhaust Jfor relieving said piston of the aforesaid air-pressure, a spring within the cylinder adapted to be compressed by said piston actuation, the compression actuation of the piston occurring during the manual shifting of the valve-handle from the running to the full-release position to cause the piston-operated provision to move in advance of and independent of the valvehandle, and said compression-spring adapted to react and oppositely move the piston for causing said provision to effect the automatic return of the valve-handle.

10. The combination with an air-brale-operating valve, and means for manually moving the same, of a cylinder containing a piston, a rod connected with said piston and having an engaging part in juxtaposition to said manually-movable means, a reaction device adapted to be energized by the movement of the piston in one direction and capable upon reaction of causing' the energizing part of said rod to engage the manually-movable means to restore the valve to the running position, a bypass and its controlling means for delivering to the cylinder air supplied from the main reservoir, and a suitable exhaust for relieving the piston of the aforesaid air-pressure.

1l. The combination with an air-brake-operating valve and means for manually moving the same, of a cylinder containing a piston, a rod connected with said piston and having a hooked end in front of and in the same plane as the manually-movable means, a spring within the cylinder and adapted to be energized by the forward movement of the piston, a stop for limiting such piston movement, a b #pass and its controlling means for delivering to the cylinder air supplied from the main reservoir, and a suitable exhaust :t'or relieving the piston of the aforesaid air-pressure.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 18th day of March, A. D. 1904.

ALBERT GOTTSCHALK.

lVitnesses:

WILLIAM PAxToN, CHAs. S. GLAGETT.

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